Miryokuteki Yuugi: The Alluring Game
by shadow priestess
Summary: Suzaku never wanted some ditzy priestess with no powers! (Who would?) Instead, high school student Ri Houjun finds a strange book during a study session... Pretty much decided as TasChi, if yer against it at least stick around til it appears.
1. The Book of the Four Gods

Disclaimer- Watase won't sell FY to me, the meanie!

AN- OK, this is shadow priestess! Some of you may remember me from my other fics… Well, I've started a rewrite of FY again, this time with no original characters! (Ain't it amazin'?) The basic idea is that Chichiri is now the Priest of Suzaku. It _might _be Tasuki by Chichiri, except I'm not too sure about that… I dunno. Maybe Chichiri'll just have a loveless life… HOW COULD I BE SO CRUEL!! Well… If worst comes to worst, Miaka and Yui will be making appearances…

Miryokuteki Yuugi- The Alluring Game- Chapter One- The Book of the Four Gods

"Wake _up_, Houjun!! Come on, we're going to be late for class!"

Ri Houjun's good brown eye slowly opened as he registered his best friend's voice. As always, he allowed himself a small sigh upon taking in the two-dimensional world the scar over his left eye had reduced him to seeing. After a moment, he stretched, ready to go to sleep now that Koutoku's voice had shut up.

The sandy-haired eighteen-year-old groaned. "Houjun…" he began threateningly. "Our exams are coming up soon, and neither of us can afford to miss any classes! We've got five minutes to get across campus, maybe not even that. I thought you wanted to get into Ogawa University with me!"

"Aww… come on!" Houjun teased. "You know I can get by on my natural intelligence! I mean, I _always_ pass my classes!" They just grinned at each other. Both of them knew that Houjun rarely invested any more time than was necessary on homework, which had never made a favorable impression on teachers. "Besides," he added. "We don't have to walk."

"Oh no, we shouldn't…" Koutoku said worriedly. "You know our parents told us not to do… that anymore. It's like they're scared of us or something. Besides, you don't want a repeat of last year, do you?" His clear eyes studied the other boy, who stiffened. 

"No… no… I don't…"

People outside of their little circle, which consisted of them and two other classmates- Kouran and Hikou, had always considered the two friends strange. For the most part, though, hostility was not openly expressed, most preferring to ignore the group. However, around their seventeenth birthdays, Koutoku and Houjun had discovered that they possessed very strange powers. For the former, it was merely an ability to manipulate emotions, a way to keep annoying people quiet, which was easily attributed to his talent.

Houjun, on the other hand, had discovered more of a way to form bright red lights, no doubt a useful trick. In addition, he could transport himself and any unwilling passengers through the midnight blue jacket he wore no matter how hot it was in Tokyo. He also managed to sense anyone within a pretty large radius, making it virtually impossible for anyone to sneak up on him. So, since Kouran and Hikou were at least semi-normal, the blue-haired student was so obviously the freakiest kid in the school. 

Of course, it hadn't really been a problem at first, but after a particularly nasty incident involving Houjun and Koutoku appearing on top of a few students thanks to the unpredictability of  Houjun's jacket… it seemed as though the whole establishment had turned against them. Fear does strange things to people, and the quartet soon felt as though they were reliving the Salem witch trials. Each day became a new opportunity for them to be pelted by random objects, and for Kouran and Hikou to listen to taunts about their horrible choices in friends.

Even most of the teachers avoided speaking to them, the only contact they had being a quick toss of tests or graded papers. Overall, it was a lonely existence. Much of what they heard throughout the school day was derogatory insults, usually shouted. Often they were cornered on the way to and from school and tormented. Daily, they would report to each other of death threats received in classes they didn't share. Yet at the same time, they never truly expected anyone to follow up on them… 

// _"Koutoku!! Where'd Kouran go?" Houjun called, fearing the worst. "She didn't try to go home with Hikou, did she? Doesn't she know it's dangerous? I told her to wait for us here! We have to  go as a group!" He stopped short as he saw the flutist's face. "What is it?"_

_The shorter boy took a deep breath. "I overheard some of the kids talking… They're planning to ambush them on their way home. I've been looking all over for you! They mean to kill this time… And the idiots took the alley route, if I heard correctly."_

_Houjun began cursing inventively as he started running towards where Koutoku had said they'd gone. His best friend followed behind, snatching up his flute as he went. 'Please don't let it be too late…'_

_The scene they arrived at was quite frankly gruesome. The veritable mob  had caught the teens by surprise, and a quick check by Houjun of their life forces revealed that, while alive, they would not be for long. Rage began to cloud his perception, and before he knew it, there was a scarlet ball of energy forming between his hands, ready to fling it at anyone who dared to cross his path._

_The last thing he felt was the sensation of Koutoku's flute seeming to tear into his consciousness and the pain of a knife tearing into his eye.//_

"Hey… You still in there?"

Koutoku's hand waved in front of his. "We still have a class to get to, you know."

"Oh! Yeah…" Houjun agreed automatically, picking up the paper mask that lay next to his textbooks and smoothing it over his face, effectively covering the scar and his emotions with an ever-smiling, fox-like expression. "I'm ready no da! I've just gotta get my books together no da!!!" As he spoke, his voice slightly higher than normal, he stuffed all of his supplies into his schoolbag.

"Say…" Koutoku pointed out. "Isn't that your homework in the restricted room? You'd better get it; it's a major part of our grade, and Anara-sensei isn't exactly nice about late work."

"It's not the _work_ that's going to be late no da," Houjun muttered, but he got up to retrieve the paper anyway. "Where is it na no da?" he called back as he admired the school library's extensive rare book collection. 'No wonder the tuition's so high around here…'

"I dunno…" Koutoku stepped in also, looking a bit confused. "I could have _sworn_ I saw it here."

Houjun shrugged and picked up a book that caught his eye. "The Book of the Four Gods Sky and Earth…?" he read, trying to puzzle out the kanji. Intrigued, he opened it. "Herein contains the story of a young man and his quest to gather the seven constellations of Suzaku… what the heck is this?" He skipped around a bit. "And the moment the page is turned, the story will become reality… yeah right no da…"

This was about when they noticed that the thick volume was glowing faintly crimson.

"Strange book na no da…" Houjun commented. "I wish Kouran and Hikou could be here to see it… They'd have loved it…. huh? Wh-what's this light?! DAAAA!!!!"

Koutoku blinked quite rapidly as he scanned the room. There was no sign of Houjun, only an old book that appeared to have swallowed him, though it now looked totally normal. "We are _so_ going to be late for class…" he muttered, "What's happened to you, Houjun?" Shrugging, he sat down and began to read. 

So… what'd you think of it? Did it drag out too much? This was just the intro thing, so theoretically it should get better… But realize that this story and all chapters were thought up late at night while the author was sleep-deprived! So go easy on the criticism! And give me input as to the pairing! So…. Review and all… 


	2. Into the Den of the Phantom Wolf

Disclaimer- Strangely enough, I still don't own FY. (Now how did _that _happen, I wonder…?)

AN- Well… I'm stunned. According to the site, I got TEN reviews for ONE chapter!  In any case, most of the reviewers were for TasChi. There's still going to be a couple of chapters before any pairings come out though, so if you reviewed against it, keep trying. Maybe there'll be a revolution. I mean, it COULD happen…

Miryokuteki Yuugi- The Alluring Game- Chapter Two- Into the Den of the Phantom Wolf

{excerpts from the book in here}

{The young man found himself in the den of wolves, more accurately known as the home of the Mount Reikaku bandits. Though he knew that he should have been frightened, he only stared ahead as they surrounded him. There was a friendly ki nearby, and he had a suspicion that the owner would soon reveal himself…}

"All right, what's th' problem here?"

The bandits jumped up, dropping the bonds they had been securing in shock. "B-boss!!" They looked scared to death; obviously they had been caught doing something without permission. 

Houjun, for his part, studied the newcomer with interest. He was about the same age as him, perhaps younger, though a bit taller. His red hair gave off the impression of flames, and narrow amber eyes held a commanding air. He seemed to be putting on an overly cocky act though, and Houjun scoffed at the idea that this young man was the leader of the group around him. 'And what's with the character on his arm? Looks like the kanji for wing… Do they have tattoos wherever this crazy place is? I'm thinking China, even if they're speaking Kansai and not Chinese… It certainly reminds me of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.'

"Well?" the man pressed. "What's goin' on here? Where'd he come from?" He jabbed his finger at Houjun. "Don' tell me ya picked him up from the city. We've got enough problems 'round here since Hakurou died." (Hakurou= the old boss)

"Well… actually…" one of the older bandits began, looking a bit embarrassed. "We dunno where he's from. He jus' turned up here. Got past our security somehow. Prolly cuz he's a kid," he added savagely. "Kids kin fit through anythin'."

"HEY!" Houjun protested angrily. "Just because I'm shorter and smaller than your beloved boss doesn't mean I'm a kid na no da! I'm eighteen already, for heaven's sake!"

"True…" The amber-eyed bandit sized him up. "I was pretty small when I first came here… Say, why d'ya talk like that? Ya sound so darned _happy_. An' what's with yer hair? Are those bangs natural?" He poked the aforementioned strands, which were sticking up at a particularly odd angle. "Yer a weird one, that's fer sure. So what happen'd t' yer face? Why's it look like some _cat_?"

"I-it's nothing no da…" Houjun stammered. 

"Well, what is it?"

"Genrou!" a new voice scolded. "Ya know he doesn't wanna talk about _any_ of that, so why're ya still botherin' him? I _told_ ya when ya first got t' be leader that ya had no delicacy! I mean, look at how ya abused Reirei! She ended up dyin' fer ya too!"

"Kouji," Genrou growled. "I. Hate. Women. _All_ women. No exceptions."

Houjun watched this exchange with some amusement. It almost reminded him of some light-hearted conversations with Koutoku, just banter between friends. At the thought of Koutoku he sighed. Hopefully he had already figured out that Houjun had been sucked into the book and wasn't dying from the shock and total implausibility. Hopefully.

"So… who are ya anyways?"

"Oh… Oira wa Ri Houjun da na no da. I'm actually kinda lost around here. Do you think maybe I could stay with you for a bit? I could help you with stuff no da…" He grinned as he realized that he was offering assistance to bandits, after all his parents' hard work in teaching him morals. Still, anything to shut up the little voice in his head. "I can… umm… no da…"

"What?" Kouji asked skeptically, obviously expecting him to pull a Reirei on him and yank out a hairpin. Well, either that or the more plausible him revealing that he had no powers.

Instead of explaining, Houjun conjured a small ball of energy and sent it through the wall opposite them, after which he just teleported over and calmly repaired the hole. He then dusted off his green slacks and smiled. "I can do that, and blow up stuff na no da!" he announced cheerfully. 

"A mage, hn? We could use one, ne, Aniki?"

Kouji shrugged. "Maybe. Yer the leader."

"All right, kid! Yer in!"

"I'm hardly a child na no da."

"I still say ya act like one with all th' 'no da's… All right, adult! Yer in!" Genrou amended with just as much enthusiasm. Houjun noted that he was desperately in need of drug testing. Did ancient-China-where-the-residents-speak-like-Japanese-people have speed? Ecstasy? 

"Here's th' deal," Kouji started explaining, totally ignoring his friend's overall loudness. "We're th' Mount Reikaku bandits. We guard th' holy mountains from evil people and whatnot. Plus, we steal from th' rich and give t' th' poor. We don' kill unless we hafta (most of th' time), but we can."

"Robin Hood," Houjun said suddenly, resisting the urge to laugh hysterically. "Robin Hood and his Merry Men no da!"

"Huh?"

"Erm… never mind that…"

"Boss!!" A younger, though definitely powerful bandit ran up, gasping for breath. "There's some sorta procession thing goin' on! Th' guys told me t' tell ya right away, cuz we think it's th' emperor! He's got all sorts of rich stuff with 'im!"

"Thanks, Tabito." Genrou grinned, exposing sharp fangs. "Th' emperor, ne? Tell th' other guys t' get ready." Once the boy ran off, he turned to Houjun. "So whaddaya say, kid… adult? Feel up t' goin' with us? Th' emperor almost never comes with gold… this'll be worth it."

"Sure no da! I'd love to go!!"

{And so, the young man accepted the invitation extended by this man despite his doubts about the decision. For at the time, he could not have had any idea how much it would shape his life and that of those around him. He did not yet understand that he had just set into motion a legend as old as the universe itself, and was about to meet his destiny in this world that was so much unlike his own…}

"Genrou!! It'd be nice if you'd wait up for me na no da!! I thought you were going to kinda show me around seeing as it's my first time at this kinda thing no da!"

"Oh… gomen." He slowed down a bit to allow the older boy to catch up. "I ferget that not everyone can run as fast as th' great Genrou!" He took the time Houjun spent running to "Rekka Shin'en" some unsuspecting guards with the iron harisen he kept with him.

""How… do you… run… so fast… no da?" Houjun panted, lifting a hand instinctively to smooth out his mask. "Could you slow down some more? I didn't make track this year, so I'm really out of practice no da!"

Genrou shrugged and began moving at what to him must have been a ridiculously slow pace. Unfortunately, the speed or lack thereof caught up to him, and he and Houjun were quite abruptly captured by the few remaining guards. Naturally, Houjun's body chose that moment to turn red and seem to vanish. He felt himself almost… melt, and even saw Koutoku's shocked face for a moment before feeling returned to him and he found himself back-to-back with Genrou in the middle of a circle of imperial guards.

"I think now would be an appropriate time to say 'uh-oh'…" he mused.

OK, everybody! That was chapter two! Did you like it? If not, tell me why and I'll fume about it for a month! (No, I'll more like try to fix it). The polls for TasChi are still open, and I count by reviews, not reviewer. (This does NOT mean you go off and flood me with anonymous reviews!!) So… right now it's more for TasChi, but relatively close. So if you're against it, better review! If you're for it, still review!! Umm… and if you think I should have a version of the Miaka by Hotohori thing, then tell me who Hotohori will be replaced by and I'll consider it. And if you demand that I keep Tamahome alive, better have some chocolate around because I hate him and hope that he can get the shinzahou or die trying… preferably the latter. More chapters some day!!


	3. Well hello Mr. Destiny how DO you do?!

Disclaimer- CAN YOU HONESTLY LOOK AT ME AND SAY THAT I OWN FY?!

AN- After only a century of not updating, here is shadow priestess nda!! It's time for the legend to move! Our friend Chichiri has just been captured by imperial dudes in armor and is in trouble because (oops) he was helping a noted bandit gang. Poor poor Chichiri-chan… whatever shall become of him?

Miryokuteki Yuugi- The Alluring Game- Chapter Three- Well hello Mr. Destiny, how DO you do?!

"What the heck?!" Koutoku exclaimed. "HOUJUN!" he yelled out desperately as the image of his friend appeared and then vanished just as suddenly. "Houjun! HOUJUN!!" He gave up after a while of shrieking at thin air though, and once again focused on the yellowed pages that lay open on his lap.

{Under the emperor's orders, the young man and his new companion were taken to the palace in the capital city and imprisoned therein. For two days they paced around, speculating as to when they would be executed. On the third day, a guard summoned them.}

"Wonder how they'll kill us," an only _slightly_ morbid Genrou muttered darkly. "Maybe they'll hang us, or maybe we'll be stoned. I heard th' emperor's good with swords, he might behead us. Ya've got it good. Ya kin just do whatever ya did before an' disappear."

"I wouldn't leave you behind no da," Houjun countered. "It's my fault. In any case, something tells me not to teleport with this na no da…" He stroked his jacket happily, remembering other times it had gotten him out of trouble. (Houjun and his jacket, sitting in a tree… K-I-S-S-…) "The little voice in my head says that I should stay in the palace, and it's never been wrong before no da."

"Ya've got a death wish, ki- adult," Genrou said, shaking his head sadly.

"Perhaps," he agreed as they entered a large, over-decorated room. "Hey… Sugoi na no da! They don't make palaces like this in Tokyo anymore no da! It's, like, bigger than the school cafeteria!! I definitely like this world better no da," he decided. 

" 'This world…?'" the man Houjun assumed to be the emperor repeated. "What do you mean by that?" He started giving the advisors assembled around him "I told you, but did you listen to me, no~o~o…" looks.

Houjun looked around nervously; he wasn't used to all this attention. "Well… I came from a different world no da. I was just studying in the library, and I got yanked here. I have no clue why nda, but actually once this is cleared up I gotta go back home na no da. Exams, you know. So…"

The emperor's expression was decidedly smug and un-royal. "I see… you are in fact the young man of legends. Now that we have disproved my council's insistence that you are an evil spirit and a treacherous bandit, we have only one request. Will you protect our empire, priest of Suzaku?"

"Hey, he's talkin' t' ya," Genrou whispered, poking the stunned teen. One fang stuck out in an obvious show of displeasure with Houjun's total unresponsiveness. "I think he wants ya t' maybe answer 'im… SNAP OUTTA IT! Pay attention t' th' emperor, fer Suzaku's sake!" More poking. "… Hello?"

"D-demo… I'm not this 'priest' nda! I can't be… I'm just a kid who wishes he was normal and needs to pass his entrance exams to get away from his town na no da…" He shuddered a bit, memories of that day still fresh on his mind. 

"Yet… you are a man with a wish, ne? You came to this world to seek the power of Suzaku that your wish may be granted, did you not?"

"I- I did…?" He paused, remembering the book's prologue. "Oh… so that means… I could wish for anything no da…" He slowly began to count on his fingers. "I could pass my exams with Koutoku no da… and become popular at school… I could forget about this whole year na no da! But most of all… I could… wish for Kouran and Hikou to come back…" It took a moment for this to sink in, but when it did… "ALL RIGHT I'M THERE I'M YOUR PRIEST NO DA NO MORE SEARCHING IT'S ME ME ME NA NO DA!!!!!"

"It's settled then!" the young emperor announced, not appearing in the least bit fazed by the unnatural display of exuberance. "As stated in the legend, you will become the priest of Suzaku and lead our empire to glory!"

"Umm… glory no da?" Now _this_ hadn't been in the job description. 

"Yep yep yep!"

Houjun gave the emperor a funny look before shrugging. "That's all well and good… I'll be back after my university exams then no da. I kinda hafta take them soon, and maybe I can come during spring break and lead you all to glory, K?"

"You don't understand…"

"What no da?"

"You don't just come into our world and 'lead us to glory', as you say. First you have to gather all seven constellations of Suzaku in order to summon Him." He retrieved a scroll and studied it for a second. "Says so here. It's also got clues as to finding the others that bear His mark. The seven seishi are known as Tamahome, Mitsukake, Chiriko, Nuriko, Hotohori, Tasuki and Chichiri. I am Hotohori, Hydra." A brilliant character flared to life on his neck- hoshi, star. 

"Say…" Houjun realized, trying to remember. "That's like… like…"

Genrou stared down at the ground for a second, clearly arguing with himself. After a moment, he lifted his head and displayed a fanged grin. "I'm one," he announced, holding up his arm to reveal his 'tattoo' of tsubasa, wing. "I'm Tasuki."

*pause pause thought thought* What a wonderfully short chapter I kept you all waiting for!! Umm… the majority of you reviewers are all for TasChi, hentais, Chichiri is straight. Actually, that's my favorite pairing but you don't care. In any case, I think it's unfair to keep having people vote. All you people for it are way overpowering others. Though it may be useful to note that there won't be anything explicit or whatever. *run away screaming* I'M TOO YOUNG FOR THIS NDA!! But really… I'll prolly just mention the pairing in passing, then bring it in for random story elements. (The kodoku scene will be fun.) Anyways. The pairing shouldn't turn up for quite a few chapters, so if you can't take it at least stay with me til then…

By the way, updates will slow down now (YES IT IS POSSIBLE) thanks to school and the fact that I'm a lazy bum. Reviews will get them up marginally faster because I have three ongoing stories. (Crystal Phoenix is proof that lack of reviews CAN and WILL stop the updates.) Don't worry I'll go for that too… 

*everyone peeks out of their bomb shelters* Is it over yet?


	4. A Reason to Get a Tetanus Shot

Disclaimer- No, I don't own it. No, I haven't bought it. No, Chichiri is not mine… or is he…? Mwahahahaha…

AN- After my friend the century of not updating, here is shadow priestess with a gory little chapter. Well, a little bloody, but same difference. Umm… hi everyone. My writing, I may warn you, is steadily going downhill. I blame it on my teacher, who is totally clueless in English and is therefore ruining my style. So none of this horror is my fault! My real style is specialer! *nodnodnod* Ah, and Sakata Ri Houjun, (you're so cool!! *worship*) Hotohori was in fact a little tiny bit off, but it's special!! And this won't become a self inclusion fic because I promised myself that there would be no original characters. Besides, Crystal Phoenix is my self inclusion thing. MWAHAHAHAhahaha…ha…ha.

Miryokuteki Yuugi- The Alluring Game- Chapter Four- A Reason to Get a Tetanus Shot.

"Well," Houjun said finally. "That simplifies things quite a bit na no da. I suppose then that these characters are the mark of a seishi, but is there anything else? I'd expect that few would notice them, and I _do_ still have exams coming up no da."

"The shichiseishi will be drawn by your life force," Hotohori offered. "Technically they will assemble around you. Sometimes there are mistakes, but it usually works out fine. The only problem seems to be that you indicate you have little time remaining to gather them."

"Sono toori na no da!" (AN- this is from the "No da da da" thing that's going around the internet, which means "exactly na no da!")

"Mebbe ya kin sense them," Tasuki offered rather grumpily, obviously still annoyed that he was going to end up protecting this crazy guy anyways. "Hakurou said somethin' about it. Lotsa ki or somethin'."

"The first clue is "palace strength"," Hotohori offered, just then remembering the scroll that he happened to be holding in his hand. "All we are required to do, then, is to find the most valiant man in the palace." 

"I'd think that's a matter of opinion na no da," Houjun remarked, falling into a light trance and beginning to search the palace for any extraordinary amounts of ki. He did sense _one_, but it didn't seem to be in the warrior's quarters. 'Strange.'

{The young man decided to take Tasuki's advice and search the palace for his third seishi, but Nuriko was not to be what he'd expected in a celestial warrior…}

"Ya can't be _serious_!!" Tasuki scoffed, glaring at the woman in front of them.

She was a court lady, slightly shorter than anyone else present, and certainly didn't look worthy of the clue. Palace beauty, perhaps, but Genrou was rather skeptical of the fighting ability of anyone who looked so delicate, especially given his inherently negative attitude about women.

"Suzaku no shichiseishi Nuriko," Houjun confirmed, though he sounded distracted. There was something distinctly strange about this Nuriko's ki. It was decidedly non-feminine, though certainly had hints. He shook it off though, dismissing it as perhaps the influence of a brother. "I'm Ri Houjun na no da!" he added to the violet-haired seishi, who merely nodded. 

"How do you propose to find the others?" Hotohori inquired, breaking the relative silence the group had fallen into. 

"Dunno," he muttered, the paper mask appearing a bit listless. "I'm tired na no da. Gotta headache nda… think I'm sick." He pressed a hand to his forehead tiredly. (AN- my current state, pain and suffering abound.)

"Are you sure?" Hotohori asked, alarmed. It just wouldn't do for the priest to arrive in his country and prepare to save it, only to die of some random disease. No, it wouldn't do at all. He made a note to throttle his physician, who of course was innocent.

If looks could kill Hotohori, emperor of Konan, would be in a twitching heap on the ground. "Do you _think_ I'm sure?!" Houjun inquired acidly. "Would I pretend to be sick?" Living proof that sickies are snappish.

"Um… ah…"

"Oh whatever." He rested his hand against a wall, and was quite shocked to feel a nail rip into his arm as he did so. "I—ITAI!!!"

Back in the library, Koutoku blinked very slowly as blood began to gush from a spot on his wrist, staining the pages of the book a bright crimson. Strangely, the pain felt muted, as though dulled by drugs.

"Hou… jun…?"

_{The young man impaled himself on a particularly violent nail. Little did he realize it at the time, but a few weeks of agony were going to make him really regret missing his tetanus shot.}_ (AN- Does the book have a sense of humor…?)

Houjun poked his wrist with a stunned expression. He'd just accidentally attempted suicide in the middle of a book. Did things get any weirder? He didn't have any time to contemplate the deeper mysteries of life, though, as he could see it dripping onto the floor in the form of blood.

Hotohori, on the other side of the room (other side of the moon!) found himself looking rather disgusted at the steady drip. Not exactly the most flattering position, but he soon recovered. "Bandage! The priest of Suzaku can't just be left to die!" He added a postscript to his mental note reminding himself to prolong the throttling of his physician. 

At the emperor's call, about the entire population of Eiyou raced forward to tend to the priest. Unfortunately, they all had differing ideas on the tending of people who'd just been stabbed by a rusty nail.

"Someone needs to suck out the tainted blood!"

"No you moron! Then you'll get infected! We need to find a snake to counteract the poison!" 

"GOD!! Don't you know anything? We've gotta feed him pepper til he throws up the evil blood!"

"Umm… no da?"

At this sound, everyone froze and turned to look at the (rather pale) source of the voice. Houjun was sitting up and had by now edged far far away from these strange little people. He'd known they were a little behind technologically, but this was just too much.

"I think," he began slowly. "That I'll just kinda go home and get treated instead, OK no da?" He glanced hopefully from person to person. 

"Ah," Hotohori said. "Now why didn't we think of that…?" Seeing as this couldn't be dumped on his physician, he shrugged and decided to get the cook for this.

Tasuki rolled his eyes. "What're we waitin' fer then?"

"The priest, presumably," Nuriko said disdainfully. The population was once again crowded around, this time offering "professional" advice on whether the priest was healthy enough to transport himself home.

"No I'm not," Houjun whispered.

"We could… go to Taikyokuzan…" Hotohori suggested tentatively. "Tai Itsukun may be able to help us get Houjun-san home."

"I still don' see what we're waitin' fer," Tasuki complained. "If we're gonna go we're gonna go! Suzaku!"

"We're off then no da!" Houjun announced, injecting as much false cheer as he could muster into his voice. 

They're… off to see the wizard! The wonderful wizard of Konan! Wait… I used that already. Oops… Anyways. Is it short again? Darn. Whatever. But now they're off and we're getting into Oracle territory in terms of what's happening. Bit fast it is, but I'm lazy no da. Long stories bug me deep inside. Thanks to all reviewers who took the time, though there were less last chapter than the one before. Where ARE you mean people?!?! In any case, the next chapter will appear one day, fear not!


	5. Aren't seraglio members usually female?

Disclaimer: 'Tain't mine.

AN- IKITERU!! It's been… *pauses to count* Oh my holy- I had no idea it's been this long. I'm so sorry people!! But I felt unloved and stuff and life got in the way. *sigh* The time really came to me when I realized I hadn't updated since my good friend the ottersaw stopped coming to school. THAT was a shock. (He's really sick n' can't walk long enough to make it to class. Something like that anyways.) gomen gomen minnasan! But it's spring break now n' I'm writing writing writing writing…

Miryokuteki Yuugi- The Alluring Game- Chapter 5- Aren't seraglio members usually female?

"Are we there yet?" Houjun sulked from his spot on the back of a chestnut stallion, looking for all the world like a six-year-old on vacation. Sitting on a horse for a day had already gotten to him, and his head still hurt. 

"Oh no," Nuriko answered, huge shoujo eyes widening further. "We've still got _li_ upon _li _to go. We'll be walking forever!" (AN: li equals unit of distance in China.) 

"Aww shut up," Tasuki complained from below. He'd refused to touch the horse offered him, and so was stuck walking. Not that it was all that bad, time-wise, since the bandit had Suzaku-granted speed on his side, but it was something of a challenge to guess who was more irritable, Houjun or Tasuki.

Hotohori rode somewhat apart from the trio, occasionally sparing them a shocked glance. He'd appointed himself the scout for the group, not trusting the sickling, the bandit, or the girl to make educated decisions. Tension had developed between Tasuki and Nuriko the moment they'd met, and it was only getting worse as the journey dragged on. He wouldn't put it past one of them to lead the rest into a swamp as an ill-tempered joke. 

Houjun shifted uncomfortably on the saddle, cursing the thin material of his khakis. If he'd known he'd get sucked into a book that day he might have thought to wear something more suitable. As it was, he now had an opportunity to go home, and maybe change into some jeans. _Thank whatever God I'm supposed to be worshipping._

Tasuki glanced up at the rapidly darkening sky, frowning slightly. "It's gonna be too dark t' see soon," he remarked.

"Oh, is the big bad bandit scared of the dark??" Nuriko smirked. She'd been unbearably hyper the entire day, constantly grinning and hitting on the emperor. It was quite frankly disturbing. So far as Tasuki was concerned, NOBODY had the right to be so dang perky after riding so long.

"Nuriko," Hotohori began after a particularly uncomfortable pause, making a brave stab at conversation in the hopes of getting all three seishi to Taikyokuzan alive, "What's your family like? Do you have any siblings?" Truth be told, he was actually quite interested, almost never having known much about the outside world. If he'd only relied on his upbringing for information, he would almost certainly have believed that all people lived in rich places. His mother had always considered him too good to associate with the common people. As it was, he had never truly seen the depths of poverty. 

The willow seishi's eyes darkened for a second before she answered. "I have two brothers." She looked down at the saddle, seeming to consider the discussion over. Houjun eyed her from his horse; he'd sensed again that something was distinctly off in her ki. 

"Had." She glanced up suddenly. "I _had_ two brothers. Ryuuen died when I was nine. He was hit by a carriage. We were walking together. I saw it hit him. He died right there."

In her choppy, broken sentences, Houjun sensed a need to convince herself of the truth of her statements. He could feel the slight wavering in her ki, the hesitance. There was much more to this seishi than met the eye, he could see, and he was curious as to what she was hiding.

Koutoku stretched lazily, dropping the book on the floor. He'd been reading for a full hour now, and it getting on his nerves. The persistent headache he'd developed didn't show any signs of disappearing, and he was starting to feel a saddle sore, no doubt thanks to Houjun. Of course he wanted to see what happened to his friend, but he had already missed an entire class period, and was about to miss another. He was going to have a heck of a lot of explaining to do if he was found in the restricted room of the school library reading about his best friend's adventures in a book. On the other hand, this Nuriko character was quite intriguing. He sighed and picked the book back up. 

"Where are we now?" Houjun cracked one eye open, scanning the landscape. It looked something like a forest, albeit a rather dark and uninviting one. He could sense water nearby, past that nothing. 

"We are near a hot spring, actually," Hotohori offered. "Perhaps when we stop you could go there. It is said to have healing powers. The people of this area believe strongly in that sort of thing."

"All right no da," Houjun agreed skeptically. He may have had strange abilities in a world of technology, but that didn't mean he was just going to believe some folklore or whatnot about healing powers.  Still, his head throbbed, and he was willing to try anything at the moment. 

"Ah, yuya…" The priest of Suzaku hummed softly to himself, sinking lower into the water. Now _this_ was the good life. No longer deathly ill, and with a hot spring to boot. Nobody to bother him, nobody to interrupt his beautiful state of euphoria…

"Hou-kun!" Nuriko's voice, burned into his memory after long hours of listening to her talk and talk and talk and TALK AND TALK AND TALK… *ahem*, rang out across the still forest. 

"HouJUN desu no da, Hou-kun ja nai ne!" Houjun grumbled. "Doushita nka?" (It's Houjun no da, not Hou-kun! What happened?)

"Ah, nothing." Nuriko's smile broadened as she strolled over. "Just wanted to see how you were doin'."

He rolled his eyes. "Just _peachy_ now that you've turned up."

"Great!" Her smile seemed on the verge of cracking her face open.

"Of course, now if you'll just…" He paused. Blinked. Realisation hit him like a dump truck, and he leapt halfway out of the water. "WAITAMINUTE you're a GIRL! Out out out out _out_!!!" 

She dodged him nimbly, grin now big enough to contain all of Konan and more. Unfortunately, she dodged a bit too far, and the sleeve Houjun had succeeded in snatching stayed put, dragging the other half of her outfit with it. 

There was a pause.

Silence.

"WAITAMINUTE you're NOT a girl! What the—" Houjun twitched ever so slightly.

Nuriko's smile stubbornly refused to disappear. "Yes yes yes. I'm a guy, gotta problem with that?"

"B-but you've been hitting on Hotohori this whole trip na no da…"

"GOTTA PROBLEM WITH THAT?!"

"N-no…"

Koutoku sighed, staring almost pityingly at the characters on the page. He wasn't yet sure whether the story was already written, or was created as Houjun experienced things, but either way, just as nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news, not many people can be fond of bearing such odd news as he was reading. What with Nuriko being a cross-dresser, and Tasuki being a woman hating bandit, leaving Hotohori to appear most normal, he would hate to see what the other seishi turned out like.

Oh, if only he were psychic, Koutoku would drop the book and run far far away… ANYWAYS. I started this during spring break, and while I was waiting to finish, school ended and I'm on summer break. And the ottersaw came back, so now I have somebody to annoy. Well I DID. He left again, a couple days ago. Anyways, I'm going on a trip tomorrow, and I won't be back to check my reviews for a couple weeks, and I'm hoping for some when I get back. *Hint. Hint* 

I'd like some input as to what ya'll think. Since I wrote this in two-line bursts of inspiration, I kinda get the impression that the whole thing's rather choppy and overall sucky. But review anyways, nee???

Till next chapter!


	6. I feel your love reflection, and I don't...

Disclaimer- no it's not mine. But I don't care anymore, I just want my Kuramachan to come to me…. Yeah I suck.

AN- It's been what? Almost two years? I just died, I'm sorry. All the stories I used to follow….. waaah. I just _abandoned_ roku kyu, and Purple Mouse, and Ryuen….. and…. and….. sniff Anyways, I still love FY, but I've forgotten so much about it… I could not tell you anymore how tall Tamahome is… and plus I've started to love shounen manga… You know, I'll just shut up now.

Miryokuteki Yuugi- The Alluring Game- Chapter 6- I feel your love reflection, and I don't like it.

"So, Priest of Suzaku. You think you can reach Taikyokuzan easily? We'll see about that."

Houjun wandered among the trees, trying to make sense of all he had witnessed. He'd had a feeling that the seishi would all turn out weird, considering that Tasuki had been the first that he had met, but this was getting a bit ridiculous. He would have sworn upon all that was holy that Nuriko was a woman, and now… He shook his head sadly, nearly passing the mirror on the ground in his reverie.

"Ne… nanda korya?" (Say… what's this?)

He picked it up curiously, only to… fall in? He looked back out, now distressed. First it was the book, then a mirror… he was going to have to change his name to Alice soon and he didn't like the idea.

"You're so lame, as always, Houjun," a strange voice muttered. "Always _thinking_, never _doing_."

He spun around. "Dare…..!!" (Who….!!) He blinked as he encountered what appeared to be another mirror.

"Silly, I'm you," his mirror image said. "I've been cooped up in here watching you for way too long. I figured I'd like a chance to get out. You have so much power, and I can't get to it while you're out there following the rules. If you'd just used your powers right, _they_ would still be alive…"

"Shut up!! Shut up!!!" He sent a wave of ki out at the casually grinning figure, and was stunned to feel it hit himself.

"You still don't understand, do you? I'm you. If you try that, you'll only get hurt. I'll be seeing you around." His other self stepped out of the mirror with one last insolent wave.

"Wait---…"

"Houjun…" Koutoku groaned, picking up the book he had snuck out of the library and beginning to read. The boy was just a magnet for trouble…

"You!" the teacher yelled, pointing a stick a little too close too his head for comfort. "Put the book away or I'll be forced to put YOU away. ANSWER THE QUESTION!"

Koutoku blinked at the triangle drawn on the board. If there was one thing he hated, it was math. "Uhhh… five root two?" He stuffed the book into his backpack before the teacher could see exactly which book it was.

"That is INCORRECT! The answer is FOUR ROOT THREE! You, young boy, are staying after class."

"Fine, fine." _Jeez, Houjun, get back here already_. Just his luck that the one teacher who wasn't afraid of them would be the one to catch him.

Hotohori looked up, relieved, as Houjun reentered the clearing. "Houjun! We had begun to worry about you."

"Heh, no need to do that," Houjun scoffed. "I can look after myself." He blasted one of the trees nearby to pieces. "See? I don't need anyone's help. I can do anything with my power."

The seishi looked at him uncomfortably. They had not known their priest very long, but all had formed the impression that he was not one for unnecessary violence. He seemed the type to avoid conflict, if anything.

"What's wrong, Nuriko? I'm using my power to its fullest potential, unlike a certain crossdresser."

"Nanda to?!?!?!" (What did you say?!)

"Crossdresser?" Tasuki stared at the violet-haired man. "No way…."

"How could you?!" Nuriko exploded, knocking down all the trees that Houjun had left intact. "How could you tell have told them my secret?!"

"Nu… Nuriko!" The real Houjun watched, heart sinking. Was this the bitterness he carried in his heart? He'd always thought he could have done more with his power, but this…this was too much.

Hotohori drew his sword. "What did you do to Houjun?"

"Nandemo nee sa," he replied mockingly. (Nothing, rude male version). "I _am_ Houjun." A lazy smile spread across his face. "I really admire your powers, you know. You shichiseishi were meant to serve your priest, ne? Then I'll just take your power…" He held up his hands, ready to begin a spell.

In the mirror, Houjun watched the scene grimly. He may not have known the three seishi long, but he cared about them, and now they were going to be killed by _him_. There had to be something. He had lost enough people in his life. As long as he had power, he was not going to back down. But he was trapped, and there was nothing to do, except… _I'm you. If you try that, you'll only get hurt._ He stood up, mirroring the other Houjun's movements… at himself.

Far away, the shadowed figure nodded approvingly. He was the most resolute priest yet, that was for sure.

{With little hesitation, the young man of legends prepared to eliminate his other self. He had doubts about what would happen to him when he died, but his concern for his newfound friends overpowered those doubts. He chanted the last words of the spell, and struck.}

Back at home, Koutoku shoved a sandwich into his mouth as he read with morbid interest. Seemed like Houjun was having a real time of it. Served him right. Koutoku's lecture on the properties of right triangles had taken up almost his entire lunch break, and it was now his life's goal to study spherical geometry, where, from his understanding, the angles of a triangle could do practically whatever the heck they wanted.

Suddenly, the book fell onto the sandy-haired teen, who was writhing in agony on the floor, as if hit by one of Houjun's spells.

"Hou… ju….n…."

So, that was the chapter. A tiny bit short, but whatever. I tried. I did it in one day, so now it's time to try out 's reaction. It's been so darned long, and I don't even know how things work anymore… all the authors I used to love have left me… sniff Please review and tell me what you think, it's been a while since I've written seriously. Plus, ff wouldn't let me get the spacing right...

(In case you didn't get the chapter title, "I feel your love reflection" is the first line in the Gundam Wing song "White Reflection".)


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